Elite cycle race causes excitement

EIGHTY elite cyclists took part in a road race around South Oxfordshire on Sunday.

EIGHTY elite cyclists took part in a road race around South Oxfordshire on Sunday.

They were competing in the 100-mile Victor Berlemont Memorial Challenge, which comprised eight laps of a 12.5-mile course that passed through Crays Pond, Goring and North and South Stoke.

The winner was Dan Patten and the runner-up was Mike Thompson, both members of Team Wiggins, the development squad set up by world champion triple GB Olympic gold medallist Sir Bradley Wiggins.

Patten finished in four hours and 17 minutes and his team-mate followed 33 seconds later. Most cyclists completed the course in under five hours. Prizes were presented at Woodcote village hall, from where the cyclists had set off that morning.

The event, which is organised by British Cycling, was founded in 1951 but has only used the Goring and Woodcote course once before. In future it might become part of Wallingford?s annual cycling festival.

A British Cycling spokesman said: ?It is not possible to put on an event like this without causing at least some minor inconvenience to local residents.

?However, those involved with the race got the impression that this was greatly outweighed by the interest and excitement which it
generated.?